hi guys, have been hit by a $4000 charge for bushfire assesement through burbank!
im building in broadford, but where site is, its in a residential area!
what actually is this for, and what do i get for the $4000?
am i gettin ripped off?
Bushifire Levy whilst building a new home
Page 1 of 1
You might be within a residential area but it may be within a certain distance of some bushland.
Where is your block? What state? What distance to the nearest vegetation, what about of asset protection zone is there between the bushland and your block.
You can ask what the $4000 is for. Just the assessment or any upgrades at all. In NSW you can do your own bushfire assessment. I was quoted $400-$1000 for the assessment. The upgrades we required at the lowest level was about $10000 worth of upgrades but with another builder some of these things were standard so it would have been about $4500 in upgrades
Where is your block? What state? What distance to the nearest vegetation, what about of asset protection zone is there between the bushland and your block.
You can ask what the $4000 is for. Just the assessment or any upgrades at all. In NSW you can do your own bushfire assessment. I was quoted $400-$1000 for the assessment. The upgrades we required at the lowest level was about $10000 worth of upgrades but with another builder some of these things were standard so it would have been about $4500 in upgrades
You might be within a residential area but it may be within a certain distance of some bushland.
Where is your block? What state? What distance to the nearest vegetation, what about of asset protection zone is there between the bushland and your block.
You can ask what the $4000 is for. Just the assessment or any upgrades at all. In NSW you can do your own bushfire assessment. I was quoted $400-$1000 for the assessment. The upgrades we required at the lowest level was about $10000 worth of upgrades but with another builder some of these things were standard so it would have been about $4500 in upgrades
Where is your block? What state? What distance to the nearest vegetation, what about of asset protection zone is there between the bushland and your block.
You can ask what the $4000 is for. Just the assessment or any upgrades at all. In NSW you can do your own bushfire assessment. I was quoted $400-$1000 for the assessment. The upgrades we required at the lowest level was about $10000 worth of upgrades but with another builder some of these things were standard so it would have been about $4500 in upgrades
in victoria, broadford. not far from black saturday fires! the main thing is that its not just a burbank thing, its actual legal requirements. that makes it reasonable.
just dont wanna get ripped off
There must be a planning overlay for your area that requires a bushfire assessment - I believe that anyone building in affected areas needs to obtain a planning permit, as well as the standard building permit, and bushfire risks have to be addresses as part of the permit applications. The CFA's website has relevant info for you. You can download the Building in a Wildfire Management Overlay kit here:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/wmo_applicants_kit.pdf
Hopefully that will answer all your questions.
Most builders will do all the permit application work on your behalf, so your contract may not allow you the option of undertaking your own risk assessment and applying for the planning permit yourself. That means that if you want that house, you may be stuck with their $4000 pricetag, whether it's reasonable or not.
Definitely ask them what the fee includes, and perhaps ring around and see what the going rate is from independent consultants. Then you can at least make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/wmo_applicants_kit.pdf
Hopefully that will answer all your questions.
Most builders will do all the permit application work on your behalf, so your contract may not allow you the option of undertaking your own risk assessment and applying for the planning permit yourself. That means that if you want that house, you may be stuck with their $4000 pricetag, whether it's reasonable or not.
Definitely ask them what the fee includes, and perhaps ring around and see what the going rate is from independent consultants. Then you can at least make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
There must be a planning overlay for your area that requires a bushfire assessment - I believe that anyone building in affected areas needs to obtain a planning permit, as well as the standard building permit, and bushfire risks have to be addresses as part of the permit applications. The CFA's website has relevant info for you. You can download the Building in a Wildfire Management Overlay kit here:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/wmo_applicants_kit.pdf
Hopefully that will answer all your questions.
Most builders will do all the permit application work on your behalf, so your contract may not allow you the option of undertaking your own risk assessment and applying for the planning permit yourself. That means that if you want that house, you may be stuck with their $4000 pricetag, whether it's reasonable or not.
Definitely ask them what the fee includes, and perhaps ring around and see what the going rate is from independent consultants. Then you can at least make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/wmo_applicants_kit.pdf
Hopefully that will answer all your questions.
Most builders will do all the permit application work on your behalf, so your contract may not allow you the option of undertaking your own risk assessment and applying for the planning permit yourself. That means that if you want that house, you may be stuck with their $4000 pricetag, whether it's reasonable or not.
Definitely ask them what the fee includes, and perhaps ring around and see what the going rate is from independent consultants. Then you can at least make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
i know some friends got an assesment for about $270, but not sure if thats all they gotta pay! thanks for help champ!
We are in Victoria, building with a different builder in a BAL-19 zone. It's BAL-19 because we have a few gum trees on and near our property - basically just a couple of rows of sugar gums along the road side of our block and in an adjoining field. It doesn't take much to get a fire rating in Vic these days. Like you, we were charged $4,000 to meet bushfire requirements. The fee covers all of the things needed to prevent ember entry into the house and increase heat resistance of windows - things like:
- Wire mesh screen doors to all entries.
- Embaseal on the garage door
- Mesh screens covering all weepholes and other entry points into the house
- thicker, toughened glass instead of regular glass in windows and sliding doors
- flyscreens on all windows
- roof sarking
We had included some of these things in our tender before we found out about the bushfire requirements, but the builder insisted they were just charging everyone a flat fee of $4,000 to build to BAL specifications. When we were charged, the builder had assessed our site at BAL 12.5. After we signed the contract, during the building permit process, it was rated instead at BAL-19. Our builder was kind enough to not charge us any extra for the glass upgrade that was required for that.
- Wire mesh screen doors to all entries.
- Embaseal on the garage door
- Mesh screens covering all weepholes and other entry points into the house
- thicker, toughened glass instead of regular glass in windows and sliding doors
- flyscreens on all windows
- roof sarking
We had included some of these things in our tender before we found out about the bushfire requirements, but the builder insisted they were just charging everyone a flat fee of $4,000 to build to BAL specifications. When we were charged, the builder had assessed our site at BAL 12.5. After we signed the contract, during the building permit process, it was rated instead at BAL-19. Our builder was kind enough to not charge us any extra for the glass upgrade that was required for that.
hi guys, have been hit by a $4000 charge for bushfire assesement through burbank!
im building in broadford, but where site is, its in a residential area!
what actually is this for, and what do i get for the $4000?
am i gettin ripped off?
im building in broadford, but where site is, its in a residential area!
what actually is this for, and what do i get for the $4000?
am i gettin ripped off?
Do you mean a BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) assessment? It was my understanding that all new homes in victoria need a BAL assessment - and you can do them yourself, or get an inderpendent person to do it for around $200 (at least that's what we were quoted).
If you have a WMO (wildfire management overlay) then this is something additional to the BAL assessment, and again it can be done easily by yourself using the kit that kek advised you of. But you would know if you had a WMO wouldn't you??? If you don't, check with your local council.
I would think that for $4000 your builder might be including something else in the price? If it's just for a BAL assessment I'd be definately seeing what other options you have!
thanks for ur help guys, its been awesome! im gunna ring burbank tomorow and ask for a statment with all the things they are guna include with our $4000! our house is 7-star rating, so i bet they double charge us for things we alreasy have!
Related
16/08/2023
2
Is it just a report written to give to the bank initially and it is based on what and how your payments are made up for, or is it a full service where they go out and…
8/02/2024
1
Hi Suku18 In NSW the statutory required insurances are: 1. HBCF ( Home Building Compensation Fund) - This is if the builder dies or goes broke. But this only covers 20%…
19/08/2023
1
Skjm You might want to watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKx-bsOr2jg If that link doesn't work go to youtube and search for Zac Homes ACA I am really…